Air-brake.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

E. B. POWERS.

AIR BRAKE.

APPLIOATION II-LED FEB. 26, 1907.

unrrnn s'rarns Parana ornrcn EDMUND B. POWERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y

AIB-BRAIiE T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND B. Pownns, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of NewYork, in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Air-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to brake systems for railway trains in which air pressure is employed to operate the brakes.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the engineer may test the entire length or" train-pipe for obstructions, the result being indicated by a signal in the cab.

The invention consists in certain novel features and arrangements, and details of construction by which the above object is attained, to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show a preferred manner 0 carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation showing the invention with so much of the usual air-brake and signal equipment as is necessary to understand the relation of the present invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a side'view of the signal-actuating valve on a larger scale,

attached to a train-pipe hose coupling, the

latter being partly in section. Fig. 3 is a corresponding axial section through the valve alone, certain portions being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is .a corresponding end view, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the air-signal hose connections.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the engineers brake-valve located in the locomotive cab, B the train-pipe having angle fittings C and angle-cocks C flexible hose connections D and hose-con lings D and nipples D all of which may e understood to be as in the usual automatic brake equipment and provided with the usual reservoirs, valves, brake-cylinders and other brake-mechanism, not shown.

E is the usual air-signal ipe having cocks E and hose connections with hose couplings F terminating in the signal whistle G in theengineers cab.

In order to apply the brakes throughout the train the train-pipe withits hose connections must of course. be unobstructed Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 26. 1907. Serial No. 359.356.

Patented Dec. 3i,1907.

the train-inspector and engineer to see that such is the case before the train starts, but during a run under the present practice the engineer can test the condition only by applying and releasing the brakes. The present invention enables the engineer to ascer tain at any time the condition of the trainpipe.-

through its entire-length. It is the duty of is a casing which I have termed a signal valve attached'to the hose coupling at the.

rear end of the last car of the train and forming in efiect a continuation of the train pipe, it incloses a plunger M having a valve-stem M adapted to strike a contact piece N mounted in and insulated from the'cap M of the casing. The plunger M is equipped with a cup-leather M and a guide-stem M received in the hub of a spider cast in the casing. A spring M encircles the valvestem M and abuts at one end againstthe plunger and at the other, through a cap M against a screw-plug. or.,follower M perforated to permit the escape of air which if imprisoned might affect the movements of the plunger, the' cap M is also perforated for the same reason.

The casing is in an electric circuit'inclu ding a battery 0 and electric bell O in the cab or in the vicinity of the engineers brakevalve; When the pressure in the train-pipe exceeds the normal sufliciently to overcome the resistance of the spring M the plunger is inoved and the valve-stem M forced into contact with the contact-piece N to complete the circuit and causes the bell to ring.

This excess pressure is induced as .usual by throwing the engineers brake valve to the release position. i

The circuit may be wired in various ways; for convenience in coupling cars in a train I prefer to wire each car by attaching one end of an insulated wire m tothe hose coupling and supporting the intermediate portion of the wire upon the hose and pipe, or otherwise, so that an unbroken line from the cab to the valve-casing M is provided. The

other line I have shown as composed of the air-signal pipe, each hose connection'being equipped with an interior wire n extending from the hose-coupling to the nipple; thus arranged the two lines are completed by conling the air-brake hose and air-signal hose as usual between the cars. The signal-valve I 'nections in the cab and by the act of coupcouplings so that it may be easily joined to the corresponding coupling at the rear end of the last car, and connection between the contactpiece N and coupling F of the air-signal hose is made in any convenient manner as by the wire m. r

Any'obstruction in the train-pipe due to accidental closure of an angle-cock, con-l striction of the hose connections, or other cause'sufficient to afiect the working of the brake, will prevent the application of pressure to the plunger M and if on making such test the bell fails to respond the engineer is.

apprised of the fact that the train-pipe is obstructed somewhere in its length and can Eakp the proper steps to find and correct the an t. a

By removing the cap-M the follower M may be'engaged by a socket-wrench or the like and advanced or withdrawn as re uired and held in the new position by the lodk-nut M The resistance of the spring. may be thus adjusted to correspond to the pressure employed in either the quick-action or 1 increase of pressure, say five pounds, above the normal. When the engineer throws his,

the high-speed air equipments, or to suit other conditions of pressure. It is only necessary that'the plunger shall move under an brake-lever to the release position the I pressure in the train-pipe is raised above the normal or F runmng pressure-and if the pipe is-clear the bell is rung.

Another advantage of theinvention is in indicating an over-pressure in the train-pipe;

during a run it sometimes ha pens that an excess pressure obtains in t e train-pipe,

' indicating devices maybe employed in (place ofor in conjunction with the bell, an anysystem of wiring may be substituted for that shown; If the train-pipe and air-signal pipe are insulated andv their hose ,co'nnections wired as in Fig. 6, they will offer an economical and easily coupled circuit. Instead of a closed circuit an open circuit may be employed.

By attaching the signal-valve M to one of the usual coupling connections it is easily attached to or removed from the train-pipe as required, but it may be otherwise'joined to the train-pipe if preferred.

The construction of the signal-valve may be varied within wide limits; it is only nec I essary that a signal be made in the cab when an excess pressure exists in therear terminal of the train-pipe.

Although I have described the invention as applied to brake systems in which compressed air is employed, it is obvious that a reversal of the valve arrangement will adapt it for service with the vacuum system.

I claim 2* 1. In an apparatus of the character set forth, portable means separably attached to the rear terminal of the train-pipe and actuated by changes of pressure in the latter, and

' an electric signalioperated by. said means.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, portable means separably attached to the rear terminal of the train-pipe and actuated by changes of pressure in said pipe, an electricv signal located adjacent to the engineers brake valve, and connections from said means to said signal for operating the latter.

3. In an apparatus of the character "set forth, a train-pipe, an electric circuit, a signal in said circuit, and portable means separably attached to the-rear terminal of said train pipe and actuated by changes of pres sure in said train-pipe for making and break ing said circuit and operating said signal.

4. In an apparatus of the character set forth, aftrain-pipe, a portable casing separably attached to the rear terminal of said train-pipe, a yielding plunger in said casing constructed to be moved by an increase of pressure in said train-pipe, a contact-piece in the'path of said plunger, an electric circuit including said plunger and contactpiece, an engineers brake valve controlling the pressure in said tram-pipe, and a signal located adjacent to said:valve and said circuit.

5'. 'In an apparatus forth, a train-pipe, a portable casing separably attached to the rear terminal of said train-pipe, a plunger in said casing con structed to be moved by changes of pressure in said train-pipe, a contact-piece in the path of said plunger, an electric circuit in cluding said plunger and contact-piece, and a signal in said circuit.

6. In'an'apparatus of the character set forth, a train-pipe, a hose connection at tached to the rear terminalbf said trainpipe and forming a continuation thereof, a casing separably attached to the free end of said hose connection, a plunger in said oasi ing constructed to be moved bychanges of pressure in said train-pipe, and. an elec' trically operated engineers signal actuated .by the movement of said plunger.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth Iaflix my signature; in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND B rownns.

Witnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, H. J. PETERSEN.

ofthe character .set 

